diff --git a/lib/thread/thread.c b/lib/thread/thread.c
index cd109c8a7..b1ebba01f 100644
--- a/lib/thread/thread.c
+++ b/lib/thread/thread.c
@@ -1586,6 +1586,10 @@ static void
 wrong_thread(const char *func, const char *name, struct spdk_thread *thread,
 	     struct spdk_thread *curthread)
 {
+	if (thread == NULL) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("%s(%s) called with NULL thread\n", func, name);
+		abort();
+	}
 	SPDK_ERRLOG("%s(%s) called from wrong thread %s:%" PRIu64 " (should be "
 		    "%s:%" PRIu64 ")\n", func, name, curthread->name, curthread->id,
 		    thread->name, thread->id);